Celtics Acquire: Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross, Landry Fields, two first-round draft picks ($15,138,640)
Raptors Acquire:?Rajon Rondo, Courtney Lee, a second-rounder ($17,179,545)
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The Toronto Raptors are reaching that stage where they need to make a big move and seize the moment. OK, so maybe it's not much of a moment, but 26-year-old Rudy Gay is either in or rapidly approaching his prime. Hopefully the same goes for 23-year-old DeMar DeRozan, who could form a dynamic wing partner for Gay if everything goes perfectly according to plan.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are hanging precariously in an awkward balance between a robust rebuild and something more subdued. At the moment, Rajon Rondo is still a Celtic. Should Danny Ainge trade away some of those draft picks he's hoarding, he might be able to get Rondo some help sooner rather than later. Maybe there's hope for this season yet.
But unless the perfect opportunity emerges, Boston is better off finishing what they started and taking this rebuild to the next level, sending Rondo on his way to a team trying to win now.
Whether Toronto can win now is one thing, but the franchise does seem to be trying. It wouldn't have bothered getting its hands on the pricey Rudy Gay if it weren't.?The Raptors have enough scoring talent to make use of a brilliant distributor like Rondo, but the real kicker is that Rondo and Gay are the best of friends. Landing Rondo is great, but getting a happy Rondo is significantly better.
That package I have Boston receiving may not wow you for a player of Rondo's caliber, but it gives the organization two things: More draft picks for Ainge to hoard and increased cap flexibility over the next three seasons. Oh and Terrence Ross, could be an absolute stud one day.
Kyle Lowry's modest $6.2 million contract expires after this season, and Landry Fields' expires the summer after that (whereas outgoing Courtney Lee has a third year on his deal, and Rondo's contract is one year longer than Lowry's and pricier at that). That allows Boston to save a little money in the short-term and become more aggressive players in free agency soon enough.
Deals like this will make for a harder fall in Boston, but they should make for a quicker turnaround too.
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